Residential vacuum cleaning systems are manufactured in two basic types: portable and stationary. In the context of the present application, the term “stationary” will be used to refer to a vacuum cleaning system that does not have wheels and/or normally intended to be moved around during and between uses. That being said, many stationary vacuum cleaning system may be rendered portable by, for example, placing an ordinarily stationary vacuum cleaning system on a wheeled cart.
The present invention is of most significance when applied to stationary vacuum cleaning systems in which a hose is attached to the vacuum system during use and detached from the vacuum system and stored between uses. However, the principles of the present invention may be applied to stationary or mobile vacuum cleaning systems that require storage of a hose between uses.
The length of the vacuum hose determines the cleaning area that may be serviced by a stationary vacuum cleaning system. Other factors being equal, an increase in the length of the vacuum hose (hereinafter also “the hose”) increases the size of the cleaning area. Accordingly, stationary vacuum cleaning systems are typically provided with relatively long hose.
The use of relatively long hose creates the need to store the hose when not in use. One method of storing vacuum hoses is to retract the hose into an elongate storage chamber of sufficient length to store the entire length of the hose when the hose is not in use. To facilitate the insertion of the hose into the elongate chamber, a vacuum or motorized mechanical drive system may be applied to the hose itself such that a retraction force is applied to the hose that causes the hose to retract into the elongate chamber.
The need exists for vacuum cleaning system having improved hose storage systems and methods for storing the hose when not in use.